Open Source / GPL

Rockbox is a replacement firmware for various audio players, that opens up new features and fixes devices shortcomings. We don't think of these devices as personal computers, but they are; and Rockbox is an alternative operating system. This review focuses on Rockbox as a replacement "OS" for the iRiver player.

Various governments in the developing world are slowly but surely waking up to the advantages that free software can provide both in terms of monetary savings as well as otherwise. One example of this new way of thinking is the Kerala state government's decision to use Linux in all the government run schools in the state. In fact this trend is so prominent that even national dailies have started dedicating valuable column space for bringing the latest going ons in the free software community.

Nokia announces plans to offer Sourcefire's Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) on its portfolio of high-performance IP Security Platforms. Nokia Intrusion Prevention with Sourcefire will provide enterprises with defense-in-depth by analyzing network traffic to discover risks, determine their business impact and take actions to defend the network.

Recently, there have been more and more indications that Microsoft has shown a growing interest with the concept of open source software. Still not yet wanting to give up any kind of control over development, they started off slowly with the release of their open source tool set known as WiX.

Eric Raymond could be both the most moderate of open-source advocates and the most dangerous.

The former president of the Open Source Initiative will suggest partnerships with companies offering proprietary software. But only because he thinks they’ll move the world decisively toward open source. He’s pushed for entrepreneurs and businesses to get involved in open source. But chiefly because he thinks the freedom to share code is more important than freedom from paying for it.